Timor-Leste Celebrates International Day of the Midwife 2025: “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis”
Dili, 9 May 2025 – Timor-Leste joins the global community in celebrating the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) under the theme “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis,” recognizing the indispensable role midwives play in saving lives and ensuring the health and wellbeing of women and newborns, particularly during emergencies and crises.
Observed annually on May 5, the day is a reminder of midwives' courage and dedication, especially in resource-constrained and remote areas where they are often the first and only point of contact for healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. This year’s theme is especially relevant in the context of Timor-Leste. The country has faced public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 floods, which tested the resilience of the health care system and the health workforce including midwives.
Speaking at the national commemoration event in Dili, Ms. Navchaa Suren, UNFPA Representative to Timor-Leste, paid tribute to the nation’s midwives:
“As we celebrate the International Day of the Midwife, we honor the lifesaving work of midwives who are the frontline caregivers to safeguard maternal and newborn health, and critical actors during both development and humanitarian situations”.
At UNFPA Timor-Leste, we are proud to stand beside the midwives and to work in close partnership with the Ministry of Health, Midwifery Association, Midwifery Schools, together with other partners, to strengthen midwifery education and services in the country.”
In Timor-Leste, midwives are central to delivering essential maternal and child health services, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities. With support from partners like UNFPA, midwives are trained not only in antenatal and postnatal care but also in emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC), family planning, and health sector response to gender-based violence, including the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health in emergencies.
Dr. Lídia Gomes, President of the Timor-Leste Midwifery Association (APTL), reflected on the role midwives have played during national crises:
“In the face of our nation’s greatest crises—from the devastating floods of 2021 to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic—midwives stood as pillars of strength, compassion, and resilience. We did not wait; we acted. We crossed rivers, climbed mountains, and braved the unknown to protect mothers and newborns when healthcare systems were stretched to their limits.
On this International Day of the Midwife, we honor every midwife in Timor-Leste and around the world. You are not just caregivers—you are lifelines. You are not only present in birth—you are present in every moment of crisis, proving again and again that midwives are critical in every crisis.”
Dr. Flávio Brandão, Vice-Minister for Hospital Operationalization, acknowledged the commitment of midwives in driving national progress in maternal and newborn health:
“Midwives in Timor-Leste are frontline heroes. They are not only helping reduce maternal mortality but are vital to achieving our broader national health goals. The Government remains committed to investing in midwifery training, professional development, and improving working conditions to ensure that every mother and newborn receives the highest standard of care.”
Midwives are more than healthcare providers—they are educators, advocates, and trusted community leaders. With the right investments, they can provide up to 90% of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services, and prevent about two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths.
As the country marks this important day, partners across the health and development sectors reaffirm their commitment to empowering midwives, strengthening the midwifery workforce, and ensuring access to quality care for every woman and newborn, regardless of where they live or the circumstances they face.
